Shuttle checking means



June 13. 1944. c. D. BROWN SHUTTLE CHECKING MEANS Filed Nov. 30, 1942 Q5 mm 0v mm om. @KT wm QuJ ZT mm M INVENTOR. CARL. D. BROWN ATTORNEY Patented June 13, 1944 SHUTTLE CHECKING MEANS Carl D. Brown, Hopedale, Mass, 'assignor to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass., a corporation of Maine I Application November 30, 1942, Serial No. 467,332

4 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to shuttle boxes for fly shuttle looms and, as illustrated herein, relates more particularly to shuttle checking devices therefor.

In fly shuttle looms, the shuttle is picked into and out of a shuttle box at the end of the lay and the shuttle box is provided with means for stopping or checking the shuttle when the latter enters the shuttle box. In such looms, the shuttle box includes spaced box plates or walls and the shuttle checking means has usually consisted of a binder which is pivotally mounted in one Wall of the shuttle box and which checks the shuttle by frictional engagement with the side thereof. The final stopping position of the shut- J tle was ordinarily determined by engagement of the shuttle with the picker.

The prior construction referred to above has been reasonably satisfactory when used in looms operating at moderate speeds but has not been satisfactory when used in modern high speed looms where high shuttle speeds are necessary. In such high speed looms, it has been necessary to increase the spring pressure on the binder to insure that the shuttle would be properly boxed and also to frequently and accurately adjust the parts. As a result of the increased spring pressure on the binder, the friction on the shuttle and the shuttle box walls caused abnormal wear on these parts.

One object of the present invention, accordingly, is to provide a loom shuttle box having front and back box plates and a binder which is arranged for movement both laterally and longitudinally of the shuttle box to check the shuttle at high speeds. As illustrated, the present binder is provided with a pin and slot connection which causes the binder to move longitudinally of the shuttle box in a direction opp sed to the direction of movement of the incoming shuttle thus" effectively checking the shuttle Without the use of high spring pressure on the binder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shuttle box with a floating back binder wherein a pin and slot connection between the binder and shuttle box is so arranged that lateral movement of the binder by the shuttle will cause longitudinal movement of the binder in a direction opposed to the direction of movement of the shut, tle thus causing increased drag on the shuttleas it approaches its proper stopped position.

With the above and other objects and features in view, the invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of he invention and in which: i

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a shuttlebox illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and v i Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. l but showing the position of. the parts when the shuttle is entering the shuttle box.

The drawing shows only a portion of a loom having the invention applied thereto. The parts of the loom which are not shown are of usual construction'but it is to be understood, however, that another similar shuttle box is to beapplied to the other side ofthe loom.

The drawing illustrates a left hand shuttle box which is mounted on the left hand end of. a lay beam ltl. The lay beam I0 is mounted on lay swords (not shown) for reciprocation forwardly and rearwardly of the m. A shuttle I2 is picked along the lay in the usual manner by suitable picking means such, for example, as a-picker stick I4 having the usual picker [6 fixed to its upper end.

The lay is provided with a shuttle box comprising a front box plate l8 and a back box plate 20. The bottom of the shuttlebox is formed by the usual metal lay end 22 which is fixed to the top of the lay Ill. The front box plate 18 is adjustably secured to the lay end 22 by bolts 24, 24 which extend through slots 26, 26 formed in the front box plate. A usual'leather lining 28 is provided on the inner face of the front box plate to form a suitable friction surface.

The back box plate 20 may include a part secured to the lay sword (not shown). This part includes a substantially vertical shuttle engaging and guiding surface 39 and a top plate 32. As illustrated, a part 34 is connected to the first mentioned part of the back box plate and the outer end is fastened to .the lay end in the usual manner by a bolt 36. "The shuttle engaging surfaces 28, 30 of the shuttle box are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the shuttle.

The shuttle box is provided with a binder 38 which is arranged to be engaged by and moved by the shuttle as it enters the shuttle box. The binder 38 isprovided with a usual friction facing 39 formed of leather. The binder 38 is provided with a rearwardly and inwardly extending slot 40 through which the bolt 36 passes and i maintained thereby in position between the part 34 of the back box plate and the metal lay end 22. Thus, the binder 38 is movable not only laterally but also longitudinally of the lay and because of the inward inclination of the slot 40, the binder moves rearwardly and also longitudinally of the lay in a direction opposed to the direction of movement of the incoming shuttle. This floatin movement of the binder may be obtained in any desired manner but, as above described, is obtained through the rearwardly and inwardly inclined slot 40 and the bolt 36 on whichthe binder may both pivot and slide laterally of the shuttle box.

A conventional binder spring 42 is provided for yieldingly opposing movement of the inner end of the binder by the incoming shuttle l2. The

spring 42 is fiat and has its outer end fixed to the lay and its inner end bearing against the inner end of the binder. Pivotal movement of forming a part of said back plate and having a surface arranged to be engaged by an incoming shuttle, said binder having a rearwardly and inwardly inclined slot in its outer end portion, and a pin in said slot supported by the lay to permit the binder to swing about said pin as a pivot when the incoming shuttle first engages the binder and to cause the binder to move bodily rearwardly and longitudinally of the shuttle .box as the shuttle continues its movement into the shuttle box.

2. In a fly shuttle loom, a lay having a shuttle box comprising front and back box plates and a binder mounted for movement laterally and lonthe binder 38 by the incoming shuttle I2 is effece tive to operate the loom protection mechanismof which only the finger 44 is shown.

Lateral or rearward movement of the binder 38 is yieldingly resistedby a spring plunger-46 which has an enlarged head 41' bearingagainst the outer end portion ofthe binder 38. The

plunger 46 is slidably mounted in a'bracket 48 which is fixed to the rear face of the lay end by cap screws 50. A compression spring 52' is located between the head 41 of the plunger and thebracket 48 and surrounds the shank of the plunger 46. The plunger 46, under the influence of the spring 52, normally urges the outer end of the binder 38 into the position shown in Fig. 2 isothatthe rear end of the inclined slot 40 bears against the bolt 36 and acts as a stop to limit forward movement of the binder.

When the incoming shuttle I2 engages the inner" inclined friction surface 39 of the binder .38, the binder swings rear'wardly about the bolt 36 as a pivot and moves the protector finger44 to operate the protector mechanism; As the incomfi'ng shuttle 12' moves outwardly in the shuttle box, the binder 3-8is moved rearwardly by the shuttle into the position shown in Fig. 1. Because of the inclination of the slot 40, the binder 38 must also moveinwardly in a direction opposed to the direction of movement of the incoming shuttle. Thus while rearward movement of the binder 38 is resisted to some extent by the spring plunger 46, the incoming shuttle l2 resists to a substantially greater extent the longitudinal movement of the binder 38. Checking of the shuttle l2, therefore,

, is accomplished without applying substantial spring pressure to the binder andpicking of the shuttle 12 out of the shuttle box may be accomplished with substantially less power that is necessary where heavy spring pressure alone is used on the binder to check the shuttle.

Having'thus described my invention, whatI claim as' new and desire to secureby Letters "Patent of the United States is: v e I 1. In a fly shuttle loom, a lay having a shuttle I box, comprising front and back box plates, a'binder gitudinally of the shuttle box when engaged by an incoming shuttle, said binder having a rearwardly and inwardly inclined slot in its outer end portion, a pin in said slot supported by the lay, said binder being arranged to move laterally and longitudinally of said shuttle box in a direction opposed to the direction of movement of the incoming shuttle to check the shuttle, and means normallymaintaining said binder against movement and yieldable upon engagement of said shuttle with said binder to permit lateral displacement of said binder.

3. In a fiy shuttle loom, a lay having a shuttle box comprising front and back box plates and a binder mounted for movement laterally and longitudinally of the shuttle box, said binder having a surface projecting into the path of movement of the-shuttle and'arranged to be engaged by the incoming-shuttle, said binder having a rearwardly and inwardly inclined slot formed in its outer end portion, a pin in said slot supported by said lay, a spring engaging the outer end of said binder and normally maintaining the rear end of said slot against said pin but permitting said binder to move relatively to said pin when the binder is engaged'by the incoming shuttle, said pin and slot connection cooperating to cause the binder to move longitudinally inadirection opposed to the direction of movement of the incoming shuttle as the binder is displaced laterally by said shuttle.

4. In a fly shuttle loom, a lay having a. shuttle box, comprising front and back box plates and a movable binder, said binder havinga surface arranged for engagement with the incoming shuttle and arranged to be moved laterally thereby, said binder having a slot in its outer end portion, in-

clined rearwardly and inwardly of the shuttle box, a pin in said slot supported by said lay, said pin and slot connection causing the binder to move 

